Persian Love Cake

This chiffon cake filled with rose-scented whipped cream is inspired by the aromatics found in Persian, Turkish, and Indian confections. Cardamom seeds have more flavor than the ground powder and are like little explosions of spice in the cake.

Preparation

For candied rose petals:
Whisk egg whites in small bowl until foamy. Using pastry brush, brush rose petals on both sides with egg whites; sprinkle on both sides with sugar. Dry on nonstick rack at least 6 hours or overnight.

Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on platter. Spread 1 cup frosting over. Top with second cake layer, flat side down. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Chill at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours. Garnish cake with rose petals and pistachios.

Recent Review

This is the second time I've made this cake, and it was a huge hit at my international expats dinner party. I definitely recommend using making 1.5 times the batter recipe, and increasing the egg whites by at least 1 to get good loft. I also used cream of tartar with good results, and did not butter the sides of the pan, to further enable the rise. I recommend powdered cardamom, increasing the lemon zest a bit (doubled it), and using more rosewater in the frosting. I skipped the rose petals this time, and sprinkled lots of slivered pistachios on top. Delicious!